Month: October 2012

I remember when I was young and immature (like Donald Trump), and used to blame one man for every single slump in my business. That man was the President.

I felt, “Why is business down? I know why. Dam President. We need to vote him out, and get one who understands.

It never occurred to me that I had shortcomings. That at least 90% of my business stats had to do with my own business practices, not what one man’s actions were in Washington, D.C.

Under the Clinton administration, I launched the business I have now which is cartoons and quote licensed gifts. It grew rapidly.

It grew some more during the GW Bush administration; in fact at times faster than under the Clinton administration, and I didn’t even vote for GW Bush, but I give credit where credit is due.

Neither Bush nor Clinton had very much to do with it, though with a balanced budget (Clinton) I admit made it easier to start such a business with zero backing.

Under Obama, it probably grew its largest, but also had some of its slowest days; neither of which had anything to do with President Obama.

It all had to do with me. How was I promoting it? Was I following up on sales? Was I being creative and persistent with my products? Was I utilizing social media properly.

Absolutely none of that had to do with Obama.

I sincerely get a huge chuckle when I see broke ex-millionaires like Donald Trump blame Obama for every business problem that happens to him. For instance, all those clothiers are having

(Above) My office: Under

GW Bush & Barack Obama.

Nothing has changed, and

business is good.

their merchandise made in China.

“Who can compete”?, he asked David Letterman. Letterman turned his batch of ties over to find they were “Made In China”. Busted.

Get real people. Obama is doing fine on the economy. Romney has no plan. Besides what either of them do has VERY little; maybe .000034 of what happens to your business, compared with what you do to it.

Also keep in mind we live in a world with rapid changes. Check your merchandise or service regularly.

As an adult I had to switch careers at least 6 times and go back to school at age 47. Under Obama? No under GW Bush. The training I’d had became obsolete.

It was not Bush’s fault and he gave me a chance to re-educate myself.

Start coming clean. We all have shortcomings and Presidents have little if anything to do with them.

Neither do our parents (anymore) if we are adults. We’ve had plenty of time to correct their mistakes.

If you don’t care for President Obama for the reasons we know you don’t, fine. Admit it. We know its not because he’s not doing a very good job in spite of 4 years of GOP obstruction (they admit

it), he’s not a socialist, a secret Kenyan Muslim, he’s a Christian who loves America and his family and America.

If you don’t like him, most of us really know why (See: John Sununu on YouTube for further information). I respect him for revealing his “dog whistles”. I abhor those who still use the useless

nonproductive ridiculous “hide my racism” talking points.

Now quit blaming Obama and get to work. That’s what I’m doing. And I’m making money…just like I did under the GW Bush administration, when America was falling into a depression. But

here’s the rub. I work hard. You can do. Are you telling me I’m wrong? If I am, you may be in the wrong business. It may be an unnecessary service. It happens a lot these days. It happened to me as I said. If you are in the right business, and you are working hard, I mean truly hard, you’re making money. No excuses. Obama has about as much to do with your income as the unemployed in Queens have to do with making Donald Trump’s ties.

The harder the work, the lesser you blame the President, any President, or anyone else for your shortcomings.

Rick London is a writer, cartoonist and designer who founded Google’s #1 offbeat cartoons and funny gifts LTCartoons.com. He is married to writer/nature photographer/designer Lee Hiller-London who is the founder Lee Hiller Designs Home Decor Gifts & Clothing.

Like this:

As a couple who was neutral for our 1st 2-3 years on facebook; didn’t even mention politics once, we were allowed to observe. My wife Lee Hiller-London were VERY busy with our work, and didn’t have time to follow politics. What little I could see, I had pretty much made up my mind I was for Huntsmann. Lee was building her new brand, and I was expanding my then 13 year old cartoon brand and compiling several books. Politics was one of the last things on our mind. We live in a small mountain town where, though people vote, most of them (and us) get along in spite of poltical differences. After all, we’re all Americans with the same goals.

Our town Hot Springs, Ar has an education demographic a bit higher than the national norm. We are all keenly aware that political differences are a moot point; that if one must judge another, it should be on character, or one is going to be very disappointed since not all Republicans and not all Democrats are pristine citizens. But more importantly, character remains head and heels above political or religious dogma. It’s nice to live in a community with that kind of progressive mindset. Sometimes it feels like being “a fly on the wall” of some of our Founding Father’s early meetings.

I didn’t dislike Obama but it appeared “nothing was getting done”. (I had not had time to study the GOP Congressional Armada against him). Once I learned the real story from the library of congress, National Archives etc (and not slanted news networks), I was livid.

By then I was being bullied by this strange theological cult pretending to be the GOP and demanding I love Sarah Palin, then Herman Cain (and their hero/American Patriots) seemed to change with the weather. I didn’t know who they were, I just knew I was not going to vote for whomever they wanted. Their bullying was like high school on steroids.

They demanded lockstep belief, behavior etc and “to vote like them” or be a “socialist Muslim traitor to America” (their words, not mine). They turned out to be known as “The Tea Party”. So my 1st taste of what the GOP had become reminded me of someone had gotten the keys to the institution and let them all out. They have not changed, but I surely have. Finally I decided to listen a little closer to what they were saying. While they were still trying to figure out who/what I was (why was that so important?), I was watching them watching me.

They had already concluded I was an Obama supporter when, ironically I was fully behind Huntsmann. But I dare not tell him; as I felt even that far back that Huntsmann was way too sane for a party with that much hate/judgement etc; and I may have to choose another candidate. And given the GOP’s choices, it was probably going to be Obama. And the more they bullied me, the closer I got to liking Obama. And finally I was on his side by default. It was them trying to “scare me into not voting Obama”, that I knew instinctively he must be the right one, and they knew of something very nasty going on (I would later discover the GOP block of all jobs bills, veterans job bill etc etc etc). Since I’d not watched much news as it would interfere with school and work, I was vulnerable game for any political party (or theological cult in their case). I decided to go along with a real political party. In the famous words of Ronald Reagan, I didn’t abandon them, they abandoned me”. And big time.

Though I still think Huntsman would have made a great President in the same vein as Teddy Roosevelt or IKE (I tend to lean more fiscally conservative than most), I also got the real scoop on Romney/Ryan vs Obama.

Obama makes Romney/Ryan look like Enron when it comes to economic fiscal responsibility. Yes, my reason for voting for Obama is not because Romney is too conservative….it is because Obama really IS conservative…but a real one. A centrist conservative very much like Teddy Roosevelt or IKE. What is Romney? It, of course, depends on what day it is, and in which state he is making a speech. Frankly I prefer the “Casual Friday Moderate Mitt”; but that only lasts 12 hours.

Rick London is an author, designer, cartoonist and songwriter. He founded Londons Times Offbeat Cartoons & Funny Gifts in 1997. They have been Google’s #1 ranked since 2005. He is married to popular nature/wildlife photographer Lee Hiller-London who runs Hike Our Planet.